In accordance with at least selected embodiments, the application, disclosure or invention relates to improved membranes, separator membranes, separators, battery separators, secondary lithium battery separators, multilayer membranes, multilayer separator membranes, multilayer separators, multilayer battery separators, multilayer secondary lithium battery separators, multilayer battery separators, electrochemical cells, batteries, capacitors, super capacitors, double layer super capacitors, fuel cells, lithium batteries, lithium ion batteries, secondary lithium batteries, and/or secondary lithium ion batteries, and/or methods for making and/or using such membranes, separator membranes, separators, battery separators, secondary lithium battery separators, electrochemical cells, batteries, capacitors, fuel cells, lithium batteries, lithium ion batteries, secondary lithium batteries, and/or secondary lithium ion batteries, and/or devices, vehicles or products including the same, and/or the like.

A polyolefin multilayer microporous membrane includes at least first microporous layers which form both surface layers of the membrane and at least a second microporous layer disposed between the both surface layers, wherein static friction coefficient of one of the surface layers of the polyolefin multilayer microporous membrane against another surface layer in a longitudinal direction (MD) is 1.1 or less, and wherein pore density calculated from an average pore radius measured by mercury porosimetry method and porosity, according to Formula (1) is 4 or more:
Pore density=(P/A.sup.3)×10.sup.4  (1)
wherein A represents the average pore radius (nm) measured by mercury porosimetry method and P represents the porosity (%).

An object of the present invention is to provide a laminated porous film excellent in handling ability. A laminated porous film having a layer containing a polymer other than a polyolefin laminated on at least one surface of a polyolefin porous film, wherein the uplift quantity of a side perpendicular to the machine direction, when allowed to stand still for 1 hour under an environment of a temperature of 23° C. and a humidity of 50%, is 15 mm or less.

Provided are a separator for a lithium secondary battery in which an entire thickness of the separator and a ratio of a heat-resistant layer included in the separator satisfy specific ranges, respectively, and a battery including the same. The separator has significantly excellent heat resistance and mechanical strength, and it is possible to manufacture a high capacity and high output battery using the separator, thereby making it possible to significantly improve safety even in the high capacity and the high output battery.

The present invention relates to a membrane comprising a flat, flexible substrate having a plurality of openings and having a porous inorganic coating situated on and in said substrate, the material of the substrate being selected from woven or non-woven, electrically non-conductive fibers, characterized in that the substrate comprises polyaramide fibers that are pure or connected to fibers of the further polymer or at least of one of these further polymers, wherein the fibers of at least one of said further polymers comprise a melting point that is lower than the decomposition point of the polyaramide fibers.

Battery separators are generally provided. In some embodiments, the battery separators may comprise a non-woven web including a plurality of inorganic particles (e.g., silica). The non-woven web may include, in some embodiments, a plurality of relatively coarse glass fibers (e.g., having an average diameter of greater than about 1.5 microns), e.g., such that the non-woven web has a particular largest pore size and median pore size. The combination of inorganic particles with a non-woven web having features described herein may exhibit enhanced electrolyte stratification distance and/or reduced electrolyte filling time. In some embodiments, such improvements may be achieved while having relatively minimal or no adverse effects on another property of the battery separator and/or the overall battery.

A multi-layer polyolefin porous membrane is disclosed. The membrane includes first and second layers, and a plurality of protrusions including polyolefin. The protrusions have a protrusion width (W) satisfying 5 μm≦W≦50 μm and have a protrusion height (H) satisfying 0.5 μm≦H. The protrusions are randomly disposed on a first side of the membrane, and the protrusions are disposed with a density of not less than 3 protrusions/cm.sup.2 and not greater than 200 protrusions/cm.sup.2. A meltdown temperature of the membrane is not lower than 165° C., an air permeation resistance of the membrane is not greater than 300 sec/100 cc Air, and a thickness of the membrane is not greater than 20 μm.

Glass-fiber mats for lead-acid batteries are described. The glass-fiber mats may include a plurality of glass fibers held together with a binder. The binder may be made from a binder composition that includes (i) an acid resistant polymer, and (ii) a hydrophilic agent. The hydrophilic agent increases the wettability of the glass-fiber mat such that the glass-fiber mat forms a contact angle with water or aqueous sulfuric acid solution of 70° or less. Also described are methods of making the glass-fiber mats that include applying a binder composition to the glass fibers, and including a hydrophilic agent in the glass fiber mat that increases the wettability of the mat. The hydrophilic agent may be added to the binder composition, applied to the glass-fiber mat, or both.

A multilayer microporous membrane including polymer and having a shutdown temperature of ≦130.5° C. and a storage stability of 0.3V or less.

A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery having an electrode group in which a positive electrode plate containing a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode plate containing a negative electrode active material are wound with a separator there between. The positive electrode active material uses a lithium transition metal oxide represented by the formula Li.sub.aNi.sub.xM.sub.1-xO.sub.2 (0.9≦a≦1.2, 0.8≦x<1, and M is at least one element of Co, Mn, and Al). The positive electrode plate is provided with a current-collecting tab placed in a position that is 200 mm or more apart from the winding start of the positive electrode plate. The separator has an MD direction tensile strength (S.sub.MD)-to-TD direction tensile strength (S.sub.TD) ratio (S.sub.MD/S.sub.TD) of from 0.72 to 1.37 and an MD direction tensile elongation (E.sub.MD)-to-TD direction tensile elongation (E.sub.TD) ratio (E.sub.MD/E.sub.TD) of from 0.34 to 1.29.